


somehow familiar

by keinekatze132



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Confessions, F/F, Hogwarts Setting, Resolved Misunderstandings, some other characters in the background, this work is a present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23632633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keinekatze132/pseuds/keinekatze132
Summary: Ginny figures out what Amortentia reminds her of.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 111





	somehow familiar

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for my girlfriend who loves this pairing.
> 
> Also: I condemn JK Rowling’s recent transphobic, inaccurate, and dangerous statements on sex and gender identity. If you agree with her views, please do not read, comment on, or kudo this fanfic. I support the rights of transgender people to be called by their chosen pronouns, respected in their expression of gender, and treated fairly and equally in all things.

It was late in the afternoon when Ginny returned to the Gryffindor tower. She had just finished an essay in the Library and was looking forward to spending the rest of the Saturday outside. It was a sunny spring day and with a little luck she could do some flying on her own after the Ravenclaw’s training session had ended. She wanted to quickly drop off her books when she noticed a familiar smell in the common room. She inhaled deeply what was obviously the smell of her favorite cookies. The ones her mom made only for special occasions. Ginny sniffed again to make sure. That could only mean her mom had sent a package and one of her brothers wasn’t willing to share.

Trying to figure out where it came from she looked around in the common room. Ron, Harry and Hermione were seated in their usual spot in front of the fire. Ron would be an easy suspect, but he was currently eating some chocolate he had brought from Hogsmeade a few weeks ago. Then she spotted Fred and George sitting in a half hidden corner, their backs turned to her. The two of them always looked like they were up to something, but Ginny, as well as her other brothers could usually tell when they were trying to keep a secret from them. Right now they obviously were.

Ginny silently walked up to them. She had a lot of practice in sneaking up on her brothers. A skill she was proud of since she was a little girl. 

“You better share those cookies or I’ll tell mom” she said as she stood right behind them. The twins jumped a little and turned around with a guilty expression on their faces. Ginny couldn’t hide a grin. She got them.

George recovered first. “Ginny you scared us!” he said, trying to play it cool.

“And we don’t have any cookies for you” Fred added. “Is this what you smell?” he asked, sounding curious.

Ginny crossed her arms. “Don’t play dumb” she said. “Also I think it’s pretty low even for you to keep moms packages from the rest of us” she said, trying to replicate her mother’s angry look.

It seemed to work. George grew pale. “Look we would never…” he said.

“We were just working on some magic for our shop” Fred added. “Come on, have a look” he said.

Ginny quickly forgot her anger. She was always fascinated by her brothers’ magic and they were usually happy to show her what they were working on. They knew, that unlike other members of her family she wouldn’t tell on them. She sat down in-between them and George pulled out a little bottle filled with a light blue potion.

“So this smells like mom’s cookies?” he asked.

Ginny nodded. “Yeah, the fancy ones” she said.

Fred grinned. “I like her taste” he said. “What else do you smell?”

Curious where this was going Ginny played along. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the smell that was weirdly pleasing.

“It’s like the quidditch field on a rainy day” she said, knowing she didn’t make much sense. It was not like it smelled different from any other lawn in the rain. Somehow her answer felt right anyway. There was something else. Something that made her think of long brown hair. She quickly brushed the thought away.

“Your blushing tells us there is more, little sister” George said teasingly.

“But you don’t have to tell us” Fred added, “I think it’s safe to say its working”. 

“For me it smells mostly like explosions, which makes it hard to tell whether it was a success” George admitted grinning.

“For me it’s the essence of trouble” Fred said, but Ginny could tell he was kidding. “And it’s not like we can just test it on anyone” he continued with a dramatic sigh.

Ginny felt like they had lost her halfway through. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

Fred held up the bottle. “This, dear sister, is Amortentia. Took us weeks to finally get it right”.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. “The love potion?” she asked, not able to hide her unease. She had heard some older girls talk about it. “Isn’t that illegal?” Love potions were pretty gross as far as she was concerned. 

“Don’t worry we’ll water this stuff down” Fred said, quickly putting the potion into his bag.

“We hope that the right amount will boost you self-confidence” George added. “You know. Make you love yourself”.

“I’ll keep an eye on you” she said, not quite convinced. A little irritated she added “Why does it smell like mom’s cookies anyway?”

George grinned. “That’s the fun part” he said. “The aroma reminds you of whatever you find most attractive”. Thinking about it he added “Maybe we could use that to sell sweets or something”. Fred made a little note.

Realizing how much she had given away earlier she blushed. “Whatever” she said as she grabbed her books to leave. She could hear the two of them laugh behind her back.

Somehow she didn’t feel like flying anymore. Hoping that some company would cheer her up, she went to join Ron and his friends. She dropped her books next to her brother’s bag and sat down at her usual spot on Hermione’s armrest. Hermione looked up from the homework she was working on to smile at her.

“Hey Ginny” Harry said. “Were you just polishing your Broom? The whole common room smells like broomsticks”. 

Ginny shook her head. “You’re probably just smelling the Amortentia Fred and George made” she explained.

Ron choked on his chocolate. “Fred and George made Amortentia?” he asked, trying to get a look at them. “Do you think they are sharing?” Harry kicked him.

Hermione frowned. “That’s illegal and pretty sketchy. Also it’s really advanced magic. This could go very wrong”. She crossed her arms. 

Ginny was kind of glad not to be the only one knowing about this anymore. Still she felt like she had to defend her brothers a little. “I think they want to use the smell to sell sweets or something” she explained.

Hermione still looked wary but she seemed less angry. Ginny couldn’t really blame her.

Ron shrugged. “I think they’ll have a hard time selling to sport fans” he said, “Broomsticks Harry? Really?” He snorted. “I wouldn’t want my food to smell like that”.

Harry blushed. “Well what do you smell?” he asked defensively.

Ron closed his eyes and concentrated. Finally he said “Pastries”.

Everyone laughed. “You are totally making that up” Harry said.

While the others argued Ginny tried to remember that third smell she couldn’t quite describe. She had definitely smelled it before. Carefully she breathed in. It was stronger now. She looked up and saw Hermione laugh about her friends’ playful fight. Then she realized it.

She mumbled something about having to leave, quickly grabbing her books. She could feel herself blush as she stumbled back to the girls’ dormitories.

Hermione couldn’t help herself but worry a little about Ginny. She hoped she hadn’t said something that had made her leave. 

Ron sighed. “Girls” he said, rolling his eyes. Hermione threw some crumpled parchment at him, which he dodged easily after years of practice. 

“What was that all about” Harry asked a little confused. 

Ron shrugged. “I guess she finally realized she had a crush on Harry” he explained.

“No way!” Harry crossed his arms, looking very uncomfortable. 

“Yeah” Ron agreed, “You would expect her to have realized sooner. Also to have better taste.”

“What?” Harry shook his head. “I mean there is no way she has a crush on me. But I bet there are a lot of girls that do” he said, trying to turn the conversation into a joke.

“Yeah she has” Ron said, skipping over the last part. “That’s why she has been so weird when she was around us lately. You know. All that stuttering and blushing. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed” 

Hermione had to admit he was having a point, even though it left a bad taste in her mouth. “Come on, leave her alone” she said weakly.

But Harry was not done arguing. “Why would she even realize it right now”? he asked a little annoyed.

Ron made a wavy hand motion. “The Amortentia” he said as if it was obvious. “It smells of the things you find attractive. What could be more attractive than the person you are in love with?” he asked.

There was a short silence in which all of them smelled the air. Hermione hadn’t noticed earlier because Ginny had been around the entire time but now she could tell as well.

Harry broke the silence. “When did ‘a crush’ turn into ‘being in love’” he asked, obviously embarrassed.

Hermione grabbed her bag before Ron could answer. “You guys are so insensitive” she said. “I’m going to check if Ginny is all right”.

Hermione had been to Ginny’s dorm before, but she had never felt as much as an intruder as right now. Not even when she had been in the boy’s dorm. She could make out a figure laying in one of the beds. Ginny’s face was hidden under a pillow with only a little bit of bright red hair sticking out underneath. She silently told herself to get it together and sat down on the edge of her bed. Gently, she placed a hand on Ginny’s upper arm, hoping to be reassuring. 

Carefully, Ginny lifted the pillow on her face a little to see who it was. Hermione could see enough of her face to tell that she had been crying before she dropped it again. She wasn’t sure how to react to Ginny’s emotional state. What did she even have to worry about? Was the thought of falling in love with her brother’s best friend really that terrifying? Still she was here to be supportive.

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to” she carefully offered. She realized this conversation scared her more than Ginny could possibly know.

Ginny sniffed. “I’m such a crybaby, right?” she asked. Hermione noticed she was shaking a little.

“I would never think of you that way” she reassured her.

Somehow this made her shake even worse. Maybe Hermione hat overstepped her boundaries. She pulled her hand back, already missing Ginny’s warmth.

Ginny pressed her pillow down on her face a little harder. She could barely understand her when she finally spoke again.

“It’s just a little much. Everything. You know. Emotionally” 

Hermione nodded slowly even though Ginny couldn’t see her. “I know” she admitted.

“That potion. It reminds you of what you are attracted to” she said carefully. Hermione knew where this was going. After a moment Ginny continued. Her voice was a little clearer now. “It reminded me of someone. I just had no idea I was in love with that person”

It was Hermione, who felt like crying now. She had always known she had no real chances with Ginny, but now she had to stop fooling herself.

“Is this why you are so upset?” she asked, hoping not to sound insensitive. 

“Maybe” she said. “I mean no”. Frustrated she dropped her hand down on her mattress. “I guess I am realizing things about myself” she admitted. “Also I really don’t have any chance with them, do I?” she asked as if Hermione would know. Which was a little weird since she wouldn’t even tell her the name of her mysterious crush. Not that she couldn’t guess, she thought with a bitter taste in her mouth.

Thinking of it, Harry probably wasn’t interested in Ginny. It was not like they usually talked about this stuff though and she had never really cared enough to ask. She only knew he had had a crush on Cho some time ago. Ginny must have noticed as well. Maybe she thought he wasn’t over it. Maybe that was why she hadn’t allowed herself to realize sooner. A little guilty she noticed she was glad Ginny wouldn’t be dating her best friend any time soon.

“You never know” she said anyway, not sure if it was a good thing to give her false hope.

“I do” Ginny sniffled. “Also they are a close friend of mine. I don’t want to make things awkward”.

Hermione sighed. “Maybe you should talk to him” she suggested. “Obviously not now. But it might help to clear things up to some degree”.

Ginny pulled her pillow down a little. Bright green eyes were piercing her now. “To whom?” she asked. 

“To Harry!” Hermione said, not quite sure what to do with the sudden change. 

A little confused Ginny asked: “Why would I talk to Harry? I didn’t know he gave good dating advice”.

“But you were talking about him. You said you are in love with him” she reminded her.

Ginny completely dropped her pillow and looked at her astounded. “Harry?” she asked, sounding almost offended. “He is pretty much extended family at the point”.

“I’m sorry. I had assumed…” Hermione tried to process this.

Ginny sat up now. Hermione could see the wet spot on the pillow where she had been crying. “You really think I’m in love with Harry Potter?” she asked.

‘Yes’ Hermione wanted to scream. ‘And apparently everyone else does as well’. Instead she asked as calm as possible “Then who were you talking about”

“You!” Ginny shouted.

For a few moments the two of them were silently starring at each other, both of them trying to process what just had happened.

“I’m sorry” Ginny finally said. “Now you know”. She wanted to get up, probably to hide somewhere else but Hermione grabbed her wrist.

“Wait” she said. “You are wrong”.

Ginny looked at her angry and she noticed how she had sounded.

“I mean you do have a chance” she said. “More than a chance”. It was hard to say it out loud. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve had a crush on you for quite some time now” she finally admitted.

Ginny starred at her in surprise. She noticed she was still clinging on to her wrist and she slowly let go. Ginny looked down at their hands and she followed her gaze. Carefully she moved her fingers down Hermione’s wrist until they were properly holding hands. When she looked back up she was blushing. Hermione could feel her heart beat like crazy. The two of them were just sitting there, holding eye contact and Hermione felt like she should say something.

“Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?” she asked a little out of breath before she could realize how stupid she sounded.

Thankfully Ginny just grinned at her as if she had wanted her to ask that for a long time. “I would love to!” she said.

“Great” Hermione said, grinning just as much. She shifted a little closer, the awkward tension finally broken.

Ginny hesitantly put an arm around her waist and rested her head against her shoulder. Sitting together like this felt so natural, that Hermione wondered what she had worried about all that time. She pulled Ginny even closer and stayed in her arms for what felt like a short eternity. 

At some point Hermione could hear the steps of people returning from dinner. Not wanting to make any of this public before they had even given it a name she got up. Ginny made a complaining sound but didn’t try to stop her. 

“See you tomorrow” she said. Halfway to the door Ginny caught her shoulder. She turned Hermione around and gave her a quick kiss. 

“See you tomorrow” she said breathless.

Hermione was smiling all the way back to her own dorm.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I really love the Harry Potter books so I enjoyed writing for this fandom a lot! English is not my first language so I am sorry of there are any mistakes.


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